by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

SAN ANTONIO - A man of few words on Thursday, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker said, "I'll be ready to go" for Game 4 later in the day.

Parker injured his right hamstring during San Antonio's 113-77 victory against the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday, and an MRI confirmed a Grade I hamstring strain.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he expects the same from Parker as any other player in the game.

But how realistic that is remains unclear. If this were a regular-season game, there is no question Parker would sit out. Parker is a central figure in San Antonio's game plan, and his availability could go a long way in determining the outcome of tonight's game.

The Spurs are 11-5 this season when Parker doesn't play, and one of those games - a 105-100 loss at Miami on Nov. 29 - came when the idea of playing without Parker was strategic. Popovich infamously sent four of his top players home, with Parker joined by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green. Yet Parker, who had just six points and eight assists in Game 3 while playing 27 minutes, must be on the floor going forward for the Spurs to prevail.

Regardless of mobility and availability, expect the Heat to put more pressure on Parker or whoever is the primary ball-handler. The Heat were passive defensively in Game 3 and allowed the Spurs to move the ball and shoot without much resistance.